Table 1 Summary of infant colic and manual therapy RCTs

Mercer and Nook

30

0 to 8 weeks of age; maximum of 6 treatments in 2 weeks, manual therapy (MT)

Subjective parent report questionnaires before treatment and subsequent visits

Chiropractic MT to spinal fixations v control of non functional detuned ultrasound machine

yes

Wiberg, Nordsteen and Nilsson

50

Treatment mean age 4.9; control mean age 5.9; 3-5 treatments over 2 weeks; manual therapy treatment

Validated crying diary

Light pressure with the finger tips v semithicone as control

yes

Olafsdottir, Forshei, Fluge and Markestad

100

3 to 9 wks of age, maximum of 3 treatments over maximum of 8 days;

Manual therapy treatment

Crying diary and questionnaire at each visit. At the end of the observation period, the parents were contacted by telephone and interviewed

Light fingertip pressure on thoracic spine. Control infants were held by the nurse for 10 minutes with light back massage after being partially undressed in a similar way as treated infants

No; both groups had a mean reduction in crying from 5.1-5.4 to 3.1 hours per day

Koonin, Karpelow-sky, Yelverton and Brent-Rubens

31

Treatment mean age 5.7 weeks;control mean age 5.9 wks; 6 treatments maximum over 2 weeks; manual therapy treatment

Pre, post and follow up questionnaire

Chiropractic manual therapy with allopathic medication v allopathic medication alone

yes

Hayden and Mullinger

28

Treatment mean 6.6 weeks of age, control mean age 6.4 weeks; 2-4 treatments of manual therapy

Diary

Cranial osteopathic manual therapy v no treatment

yes